merchants. But unfortunately, Pustovalov is sick and then he dies, and Olenka becomes a widow once more. After the death of Pustovalov, Olenka meets a
veterinary surgeon named Vladimir Platonitch or is usually called Smirnin. He abandons his young son, Sasha, to Olenka’s care.
b. Physical Appearance
Olenka is an interesting woman. Olenka is in good health. She looks beautiful with her rosy cheeks. The author also explains that Olenka has beautiful
eyes. Olenka’s smile and mole on her neck makes her more interesting as a woman. The author shows Olenka’s physical appearance directly as follows:
She was a gentle, soft-hearted, compassionate girl, with mild, tender eyes and very good health. At the sight of her fully rosy cheeks, her soft white
neck with a little dark mole on it, and the kind, naive smile, which came into her face when she listened to anything pleasant p.179.
The statement above shows that Olenka is an attractive woman. Keeping in healthy proves that Olenka is a person who cares about herself.
c. Personality traits 1. Easily falls in love with a man
Olenka falls in love with her first husband, Kukin, because she has an excessive attention to him. She respects Kukin and with all the things he does.
Sometimes Olenka cannot sleep at night because she adores and thinks about Kukin. Kukin’s bad luck in life makes Olenka care about him. It can be shown
when Kukin shares his misfortunes in his job with Olenka. Olenka listens to Kukin with silent gravity, and sometimes tears come into her eyes. His
misfortunes touch her, and Olenka becomes sympathetic towards Kukin’s life, then Olenka begins to love him p.179. Because Olenka has sympathy to Kukin,
her attention towards Kukin grows into love. Olenka’s characteristic, that easily falls in love with a man, can be seen when she loves a man who gives his
responsibility, respect, or care to Olenka. When Olenka’s first husband, Kukin, passed away, Emily meets with
Pustovalov. Pustovalov gives the attention that Olenka needs when she is grieving. Pustovalov entertains Olenka to make her happy. He suggests her that
every human being will face a problem in life and everything can happen, bad or good.
“Everything happens as it is ordained, Olga Semyovnovna,” he said gravely, with a sympathetic note in his voice, “and if any of our dear ones
die, it must be because it is the will of God, so we ought to have fortitude and bear it submissively” p.181.
Pustovalov’s attention impresses Olenka. Olenka is happy with Pustovalov‘s attention towards her. All day afterwards, she hears his sedately dignified voice;
and whenever she shuts her eyes she sees his dark beard. She likes Pustovalov very much p.181. Pustovalov’s attention grows into a love to Olenka, and finally
Olenka and Pustovalov marry and live together. The short range of time for Olenka in falling in love with Pustovalov after the death of her first husband
proves that she easily falls in love with a man.
2. Affectionate
Olenka loves her parents. She respects her father very much. Beside her father, she also loves her aunt who cares about her and always visits Olenka’s
